


Follow Up

by billie_vivienne



Series: Progression [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon Divergence - Captain America: The First Avenger, Hand Jobs, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:31:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/billie_vivienne/pseuds/billie_vivienne
Summary: Set during Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve bluffs his way off the USO stage and onto the battlefield, saving Bucky. After, they get to spend an intimate night together,





	Follow Up

**Author's Note:**

> In this AU, Steve and Bucky were not childhood best friends; see the first part of this series for the details on how they actually meet...Thanks for reading :)

"Agent Carter? Please, wait-" Steve called, finally catching up to Peggy as she hustled across the muddied parade.

"Yes, Rogers?" She asked, not slowing or sparing him a look. 

"Ma'am, please. That list on Colonel Phillips’ desk, I saw..." Steve trailed off. What had he seen, just a name? One that had jumped out at him from a list of hundreds. Barnes, James B. A name he hadn't thought about in quite some time. And to see it, on that list. But there were lots of James’ out there. It was a common enough name. But James B. _James Buchanan, for that president, because my parents are crazy people_. It had to be Bucky. God, the chill that had settled in his spine hadn't thawed since he’d hurried out of Phillips’ sight. 

Captured, and presumed dead. 

"The Hundred and Seventh." Peggy confirmed. "They were at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Cut off and overrun, I'm afraid."

"And there's no rescue mission being planned?" Steve asked, knowing he was starting to push his luck. He was just a USO performer after all. Prancing around a stage holding a shield while dressed in tights didn’t exactly entitle him to demand answers. Peggy was already humoring him, taking him on a tour of the camp, saying hello to Phillips. 

Peggy slowed and turned to face him, searching his face for a moment. Steve took the opportunity to shuffle back half a step. He always made sure to stay just a breath out of her reach after he'd seen her take down Hodge with one punch. 

"No. No there's not." She said, tone hushed and regretful. Steve sighed as his thoughts raced.

Maybe this was the moment he had been waiting for, to prove he would be more valuable on the battlefield than on a stage. He was still learning the ways the serum had changed him, the perfect health was obvious, strength and speed he'd yet to reach a limit, and his mind, well, things were certainly calmer, and he was having an increasingly easier time working through a plan of action to find a successful conclusion. In his opinion. If he could convince Peggy to let him loose, to try something high risk and stealthy, the pay-off would be worth it if he succeeded. He wanted, needed, to be out there like every other enlisted person, serving his country. It wasn't right that he could physically do more and wasn't sharing the load. Oh, and Bucky. Saving Bucky would be good too. 

He focused on Peggy and took a deep breath. He could do this, convince her. Just start with a bit of truth, right? 

"You could let me try? Going after them? I saw the name of someone I know. A friend. From Brooklyn. A swell guy, ma'am. Sweet, and kind. He was there for me before all of this," Steve waved his hand up and down his ginormous body, meeting Peggy's knowing smile with his own. She'd known him before as well, briefly, and was well aware of how differently people were treating him since he had stumbled out of the Vita-Ray Chamber. 

"He liked me for me. I can't just abandon him to fate without lifting a finger. We were close. Uh. Best friends." He stuttered to a stop before he revealed far too much. 

"Best friends?" Peggy queried. 

"Uh. Yes. For a long time. Since we were young, in the schoolyard, you know." And his brain switched off. It wasn't wasting its serum-enhanced forethought on this nonsense.

"The schoolyard?" Peggy repeated with a hint of curiosity, or more likely growing disbelief.

"Yes. Uh. We. We grew up together?" Steve had not meant for that to sound like a question. He was quickly losing control. His brain switched back on long enough to remind him of some sound advice he'd received from the ladies he performed with. Sob story. Works every time. 

Applying his best _only you can help Captain America_ voice, he gazed deep into her eyes. 

"You see, the way we met, it was, uh, a bit unusual I suppose. Well, I used to get into fights as a kid, all the time. You know how I feel about bullies? It was even worse back then. So I'm down this alley, fighting these kids who'd been picking on someone else and I'm losing. Well, not losing. Just. Not quite winning. I mean, I definitely had them on the ropes. Anyway, they've got me cut off from the street, trapped with my back against the wall. I was down and no one was coming to save me. And uh, then out of nowhere, bam! This kid starts swinging and kicking the bullies. Helping me! So I get back on my feet and I start swinging too. And eventually these kids, who were at least twice my size, they take off. And the crazy one, the one who jumped into a fight that had nothing to do with him, a fight that he might not have won, it was Bucky, ma'am. My best pal." Steve paused, lowering his head and sniffing softly. When he looked back up, Peggy's face was a mix of _you're lying, you lying liar_ and _we both want the same thing, does it matter how we get there_. 

"That's the truth, is it?" She asked carefully. 

"Yes ma'am." Steve replied. 

"Hmm. Do you know, if you're lying to me Steven, I will make you regret it. For the rest of your days, and beyond." She said in a quietly threatening tone that had Steve's shoulders hunched up to his ears. 

"Yes ma'am." He repeated. He watched her stare off into the distance for a moment, calculating odds and weighing outcomes. 

"Right then, let's do this." 

 

 

********************

 

Bucky couldn't stop staring at Big Steve. Seriously, the guy was huge. Taller than Bucky now. Still awkward though. Bucky was listening to him ramble through another explanation of how he grew two feet and packed on at least a hundred, hundred and fifty pounds, in the last however long it had been. It was just as much bullshit as the first three explanations, classified this, confidential that. Serum. Vitamins? A German doctor, which had briefly paused the constant buzzing in Bucky's head until he'd remembered Zola was Swiss. Howard Stark was involved somehow. 

It didn't really matter though. Seeing as Bucky had lost his damn mind. He was still reeling from being rescued, from getting to have a shower that was hot, and from agreeing to sign up to Roger's unit. The first two should have been impossible but then staying in the battle when he could have gone home? Yeah, mind lost. Bye mind. Nice knowing ya.

Now they were cooped up in Big Steve's fancy officer quarters. The guy must have just been moved in here too. His footlocker was locked tight, and there was nothing personal in the room except a few loose pages with cartoon pictures drawn on them. Big Steve had taken the bed, leaving Bucky uncomfortably leaning against the opposite wall. 

He wasn't as sore as he should be, he knew that. His back should ache, and he should have a migraine not an irritating buzz behind his eyes. It was almost as worrying as downing half a bottle of whiskey and still being able to walk back to Big Steve's room in a straight line. What the hell had Zola done to him? 

He shook his head, sending those thoughts scuttling to the back of his mind. He couldn't deal with that now. 

"Shut up Bi- shut up Steve. Just. I'm tired, alright." Bucky said, the slightest hint of begging in his tone. Steve looked up from his hands and nodded.

"Yeah. Sorry Buck." He sounded tired too. A quiet moment passed while Bucky tried to build up enough will to head back to his own bed for the night. He should have gone straight there, or at least stayed at the pub with the other lunatics from Azzano.

The door swung open, startling Bucky badly, and the British officer from the pub stuck her head into the room. 

"Ah, Rogers. Barnes. Good. You're both needed at a briefing tomorrow morning. Oh seven hundred. Don't be late, thank you." 

"Thanks Peg. We'll be there." Steve confirmed. Peg? Bucky had read the literature during boot camp about the British women who were serving, no way was he going to risk calling any of them anything except ma'am or officer. He gave her a sharp nod when she turned in his direction.

"Yes, _ma'am_." He agreed. She gave him another look.  
"Known Steven long, have you?" She asked lightly, as the tension in the room seemed to ratchet up about one thousand percent. He looked to Steve, catching the flash of fear, the tightening of his fists. 

"Yes, ma'am." He replied cautiously. Surely Steve wouldn't have shared their history with anyone?

“Since the schoolyard, would you say?" She asked again, same light tone. Steve jumped up from the bed and barreled towards the door.

"Yup! Ha ha, that's it. Since so long. Right Buck. Ha ha. Goodnight Peggy." Steve babbled out, grabbing the door and attempting to push it closed without slamming it into Peggy's body. 

"Goodnight gentlemen." She said, laughing as she stepped back and strode off down the hall. Steve pushed the door closed and leaned his head against it, sighing in what could only be relief.

"What the hell was she talking about?" Bucky asked. Steve scrunched his eyes shut and banged his head against the closed door. 

"It's. Uh. Can I tell you tomorrow? You wanna sleep in here? Gotta be nicer than the barracks right?" Steve offered. Bucky knew he should head back, but it was just one night. And it might be nice, to have a big guy like Steve to curl up next to. Feel protected, safe, for the first time in god knows how long. 

"Sure. But lock the door. I don't want anyone else wandering in while I'm sleeping." He said, finally pulling off the wall and slumping down on the bed instead. The lumpy bed. The squeaky, lumpy bed. Great. 

 

 

********************

 

Steve was done explaining things for the night. He'd already fumbled through increasingly vague descriptions of what had happened with the serum. He couldn't bring himself to confessing to re-writing half of Bucky's life just so he could play soldier right now. Hopefully Bucky would understand. Hopefully. 

He was glad Bucky was staying. In his quarters and in the field. Steve wouldn't have thought less of the man if he'd taken the medical discharge. Not after seeing him strapped to that table, in that disgusting dirty lab. It had made Steve nauseous when he'd realized what Bucky had been repeatedly whispering was his serial number. Name. Rank. Serial Number. Steve knew what kind of situations called for that. 

It had taken most of the march back to base before Bucky would not only believe that Steve was actually Steve Rogers, _yes, that little guy from Brooklyn, yes, really. Yes, Bucky, Jesus already_ , but also that he hadn't been fourteen when they had first met, _no Bucky, no, no, no. Calm down. Deep breaths Bucky, stop panicking_. 

It had taken less convincing for Bucky to agree to join Steve's unit. Which, if he thought about it was probably worrying, so he would leave dissecting that for later as well. 

Steve rolled his shoulders and starting pulling his dress uniform off. Where it had come from, he had no idea. Just like the officers’ quarters. But his nice shiny rank, he knew where that came from. Captain. Captain Rogers this time too. He might miss Captain America, he thought, the guy had knocked out Hitler over two hundred times after all. But proving himself worthy, earning his rank, if he had to give up Cap, he'd do it without fail, every time. 

He stopped at his belt buckle as a strange choking sound burbled out of Bucky. Oh. Bucky was ogling him. Steve felt a smug grin break over his face and stretched his arms just a little bit more. His upper body uncovered was definitely holding Bucky’s attention. Steve flexed as he loosened his pants but didn’t push them down. Instead he knelt at the side of the bed and reached to start unlacing Bucky’s boots.

He took his time, slowly pulling the laces loose. The first boot slipped off easy enough, then the other, followed by Bucky’s surprisingly clean socks. He reached forward and loosened Bucky’s pants, tapping at his hip to get him to lift. When he had Bucky’s pants in a pile to the side, he bent low and kissed Bucky’s shin, the meat of it, around the knee, across his thigh. He sucked at the soft flesh of his inner thigh, leaving a trail of light marks across the sensitive skin. 

He leaned back and started the same pattern on the other leg, scrapping his teeth lightly at the knee, sucking darker, deliberate marks. He kissed over them before nosing at Bucky’s crotch. At Bucky’s quick intake of breath, Steve looked up. Their eyes met, but Bucky’s pupils were blown out, only a thin ring of pale blue still visible. 

Steve pulled back, giving him room to breath. He suddenly felt unsure, replaying recent events in his mind and wondering if this was appropriate. Bucky reached forward and ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, down his face, and along his jaw. His thumb rubbed across Steve’s lips, causing a jolt of heat to spiral through Steve and his mouth to fall open, letting out a low moan. He sucked in a breath as Bucky repeated the motion, gently stroking back and forth, dipping his thumb into Steve’s mouth to wet it occasionally. Steve reached down and palmed his quickly growing erection. 

Bucky leaned forward and teased a soft kiss over Steve’s lips, leaving his hand cupping Steve’s jaw. The moment stretched and Bucky sighed as he pulled away. Renewed confidence surged through Steve as he rose to his feet and started pulling Bucky’s shirt off. The scratches and cuts that had covered Bucky’s chest had faded to angry red lines Steve noted, as he ignored a quiet voice in the back of his mind asking if that was so usual. He bunched up the shirt and dropped it to the floor as Bucky shuffled around until he was laying comfortably on his back, bed squeaking the entire time. Steve cringed, well, whatever was about to happen, it would involve minimal movement. He didn’t need to break some kind of record for quickest time to lose a rank if they were overheard. 

He slowly lowered himself onto the bed, stretching out over Bucky’s lean body. He breathed him in deeply, enjoying the head rush as Bucky’s light scent filled his nose. 

Bucky wrapped a hand around the back of Steve’s neck, a soft caress. The sensual touch sent sparks racing down Steve’s spine. He sought to return the favor, sucking open-mouthed kisses across Bucky’s chest, tonguing at his nipples along the way. He continued a trail down towards his belly button, dipping his tongue and circling it with light presses of his lips against the soft skin and dusting of hair. He slowed to a stop just above Bucky’s hardening cock and pulled himself back up his body to catch his lips. 

Another long kiss passed between them, tongues sliding back and forth. A low moan poured out of Bucky as his body rolled beneath Steve. The points where their bodies met were warming, sending tendrils of need unfurling deep beneath the skin. 

Steve broke their kiss, lips tingling, and mouthed at Bucky’s jaw line, under his chin, down his throat, sucking at the flesh, careful not to leave any marks in such a visible place. He rubbed his hand over Bucky’s pec, grasping and massaging before stroking up and down his arm. Bucky shivered and tightened his grip around Steve’s neck. His other hand slid between their bodies, stroking over Steve’s increasingly sensitized skin as he went. Steve sucked in a breath as Bucky’s fingers wrapped around his hard cock. 

“Baby, please.” Steve whispered, lifting his hips to allow Bucky more access, more movement. His body shuddered as Bucky tightened his grip and set a steady rhythm, up, easy twist, down. Pre-cum was caught up in the movement and starting to ease the way for Bucky’s rough palm. Steve pushed away the thoughts wanting to question the calluses on that palm, he could guess where they had come from since Bucky had last had his hands on him. Instead, he groaned into Bucky’s shoulder, grazing his teeth over the joint before sinking them in, almost breaking the skin. Bucky gasped in turn and writhed under Steve, pushing his own hard cock sliding against Steve’s stomach. 

The heat smoldering under Steve’s skin continued to burn, increasing with Bucky’s attention to his cock, the rhythm of his hand speeding up. Steve panted wetly against Bucky and tried to focus, nipping and sucking at his chest as he shifted over Bucky. His hips stuttered without his control. 

He groaned into Bucky’s skin as he came hard, spilling on his stomach. Bucky slowly released his grip, stroking lightly before stopping. Steve panted heavily, sliding off Bucky and laying with his stomach pressed against Bucky’s side. He wasn't ready to give up contact, especially with the warm heat lingering between them.

Steve rubbed Bucky’s hip and then ghosted his fingers over his stomach, swirling around the mess of come. Bucky met his hand with his own, resting his palm on top and letting his fingers lace between Steve’s. A moment passed, the tension between them simmering, before Bucky guided Steve’s hand between his legs. 

Steve took over, wrapping his fingers around Bucky’s cock and stroking. He returned to sucking kisses into Bucky’s shoulder, along what he could reach of Bucky’s collarbone. Gasping, Bucky turned his head, pressing a kiss into Steve’s mussed up hair. Bucky was quick to come, hushed moans barely slipping past his lips. Steve reached up to nip at the full bottom lip, running his tongue along it before kissing him. Bucky deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against Steve’s. Steve backed off slowly, nipping at Bucky’s lush lip one final time before resting his head back on the pillow. 

His cock was half-hard and more than interested in another round. But despite his body, Steve was done, and he had a feeling Bucky was more than worn out now. 

“You can’t be serious.” Bucky whispered, incredulous. Steve sighed, he must have noticed as well. 

“I’m not. My body is just… weird. I guess.” He offered. 

“It’s nice. It was nice before, but it’s nice now too.” Bucky murmured. Steve felt a rush of warmth, remembering the confusion he’d once felt at Bucky’s interest in him, back when he’d been just a bit on the scrawny side.

Bucky turned on his side, his back to Steve and shuffled backwards until they were pressed together. Steve huffed a laugh and slung his arm over Bucky, holding him tight. A light shiver ran through Bucky, but Steve let it go when he didn’t say anything. 

Closing his eyes, Steve hoped whatever was in store for them, it would include a few more moments like this. 

 

 

Bucky slept fitfully, occasionally gasping awake, other times mumbling what was likely his serial number. Steve clasped him tighter each time, murmuring in his ear, telling him he was safe. Bucky was up before dawn, and scurried off to the showers. Steve took his time, pulling on the dress uniform piece by piece. Bucky was back before he finished, pink cheeked and smelling fresh. Steve watched, confusion growing as Bucky bent down by his feet and pulled Steve’s shining boots towards him. 

“Oh.” Steve breathed, sitting back on the bed. His body thrummed as Bucky slid one foot and then the other into the boots. Steve reached out to run his fingers through Bucky’s hair while he pulled the laces tight and knotted them quickly. Awe stole over Steve at the gentle care Bucky took. When he was finished, he looked up at Steve, face unreadable. Steve bent forward and placed a light kiss to his temple, brushing a lock of hair away. 

“We’re in this together.” Bucky said quietly. 

“We are. I only have about half of an idea how to do all this Buck, I need you. Need your help.” Steve admitted as the prideful voice inside him raged against the notion. 

Bucky nodded. “You’ve got me.”

“I’ve got you.” Steve replied, hope growing in his chest. 

The moment passed as a sharp knock rattled the door and they both climbed to their feet. 

“I’ve got you, Bucky.” Steve said once more, praying the blush on his cheeks would pass before they opened the door. Praying harder that he could keep his promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Next part is the final for this series!


End file.
